M1 Stun Holcombe With Last Gasp Equaliser
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Men stunned Holcombe with a last-gasp equaliser at Holcombe Park on Saturday night, Luke Taylor converting a penalty corner after the final hooter to salvage a point in a thrilling 4-4 draw in the Men's Hockey League Premier Division.
With Stuart Rushmere unavailable, Surbiton took a fifteen player squad to Kent and battled to earn a point under the Holcombe Park floodlights and stay second on goal difference ahead of both Hampstead & Westminster and their hosts, but with a game in hand on both.
Teague Marcano found the backboard from Holcombe's first penalty corner in the sixth minute, only for Struan Walker to equalise from Surbiton's fourth award in the 20th minute in the same manner after the first two awards had resulted in the injections not being trapped successfully and speeding out of the circle.
Matt Ramshaw restored Holcombe's lead in the 26th minute with a shot which caught Surbiton goalkeeper James Mazarelo out, but parity was restored a minute before half time when Tim Nurse ran towards goal and coolly finished past home goalkeeper Oliver Payne to make the score 2-2 going into the third quarter.
Mazarelo had also denied Holcombe's Alex Pendle with a fine save in the 31st minute.
Holcombe kept up their one hundred per cent penalty corner conversion rate in the 51st minute when Rob Field gave the hosts the lead for the third time and the game seemed to be slipping from Surbiton's grasp when Ramshaw struck again from open play five minutes later.
But Surbiton will battle until the final whistle and Ben Park reduced the deficit in the 59th minute before the last gasp drama which earned a well deserved point.
Surbiton were awarded a penalty corner in the 70th minute following a Hail Mary type aerial attack and when the award was defended, Holcombe started to celebrate victory until realisation dawned that a subsequent corner had been awarded.
Payne had denied Taylor previously but there was nothing he could do as the ball ended up in the net just above the backboard as it was Surbiton's turn to celebrate having converted their tenth penalty corner.
Old Georgians lead Surbiton by five points having played a game more than their Elmbridge rivals following a 3-2 home win over Beeston on Saturday. Tom Carson, Chris Griffiths and Alan Forsyth scored for Old Georgians whilst George Fletcher and the consistent Henry Croft replied for the Nottingham club.
Hampstead won 5-2 at Southgate thanks to Matt Guise-Brown's hat-trick and goals from Rupert Shipperley and Tim Guise-Brown. John Sterlini and Archie Foster scored for Southgate.
Wimbledon are a point behind the second to fourth placed teams after a narrow 3-2 home win over East Grinstead. Jack Turner, Ed Horler and Sam McCulloch scored for Wimbledon with Dan Faulkner and Kurt Lovett on target for East Grinstead.
Cardiff & Met may still be looking for their first-ever home win in the Premier Division, but they won 3-2 at Oxted thanks to an Ioan Wall treble. Owen Williamson and Peter Jarvis were Oxted's scorers at Caterham School.
Richmond made history as they broke their duck in the top-flight with a 3-1 home win over Bowdon to move up to tenth above Southgate and their opponents. After Scott Wall had scored their first four goals in the Prem, Josh Smith, Sam Anderson and Zach Mason were Richmond's heroes, Carlos Dorado-Hollyman scoring for Bowdon.
On Sunday, Beeston continue their Elmbridge tour when they visit Surbiton at 1400. Old Georgians visit Oxted; Holcombe travel to East Grinstead; Hampstead host Wimbledon; Southgate and Bowdon aim for their first points of the season and Cardiff & Met will finally hope to break their winning duck at home when they welcome Richmond to South Wales.
Surbiton met Beeston once last season winning 9-1 at Nottingham Hockey Centre, with Henry Croft scoring Beeston's consolation as well as being in stunning form this season having scored in all five of Beeston's matches this season.
Croft has scored six goals this season with George Fletcher scoring his second goal of the season last night at Old Georgians. Gareth Griffiths, Jamie Rawlings and Toby Stanley have each scored once.
Beeston drew 2-2 at Hampstead on opening day before winning the rearranged home game versus Richmond 3-1 after the original match was abandoned due to lightning concerns.
A 2-1 home win over Cardiff & Met was followed up by a 2-2 home draw with Oxted before Beeston headed for Elmbridge this weekend.
Surbiton's match against Beeston will be available to watch via the Surbiton Hockey Club channel on You Tube here